A few things need to be ironed out before  Northern Michigan University faculty union (NMU-AAUP) members can vote on a contract.

The NMU AAUP and university administration announced tentative 5-year deal on the financial portion of the contract.

But union president Dwight Brady said some of the non-financial portions of the contract are still under negotiation.

He said union membership cannot vote on an incomplete contract.

AAUP Chief Negotiator Lesley Putman said contract language should be available in the first part of next week and a vote can occur six days after union membership receives the first draft.

More than 50 percent of the faculty have to approve the contract before it can be presented to the NMU Board of Trustees for approval.

AAUP leadership hopes to ratify the contract before September 30.

That would allow the Board of Trustees to consider it during its meetings on September 30th and October 1st.

The contract is not binding until the board approves it.